Romans 8:4-8 Part 4, The Theory of Free Will

Do we really have free will or is the reality that we are in submission, either to sin or to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Tonight, I unpack and teach the myth of free will and where do we really stand before Jesus Christ.  And just maybe I will use the word “unpack” a few thousand times more before the end of the podcast.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 3: Faith in God Alone

It is Romans 1:17 boldly declares, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” If you view your faith as in how the Word of God declares it to be and you properly view worship to God, not in just the singing part of Sunday morning, but the reading of the Word, the driving to and fro to our jobs, the fellowship with believers and non-believers, the time we spend with our spouse and our children and the way we boldly proclaim the gospel of God in deed and in word.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 3: Faith in God Alone (Notes)

Notes for tonight’s Bible Study.

Romans 8:3-4: The Great Exchange

Last time we met, we broke down the first half of Romans 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. Essentially we answered “What has God done?”, “If the law was not weakened, could the law fulfill what God has accomplished in His gospel?” and “How did the flesh, sin and essentially, us, weakened the law?” Now that we have answered those questions, let us put everything together and see what we get.

Romans 8:2 God Is All Powerful

It was in God’s omnipotence, that is God has all power and all ability to carry out all of His decrees.  One of His decrees is clearly stated in Romans 8:2, namely “Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.“  So how does God “set you free… from sin and death”?

We will expound on Romans 8:2 using a glimpse God’s power and might in Psalm 139:12-17 and what He does with that power in Psalm 139:19-24 in order to break you free from sin and death.

Note: No audio available.

I Don’t Follow Up

This is a conversation between me and my girlfriend about Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers:

Me: Did you like the book?

Her: Oh I love the book.  The main character, Michael, sounds exactly like you.

Me: That would make sense since the Book of Hosea is one of my favorite books in the Bible.

Her: Yep except you have a hard time following up on the things you say you are going to do.

The wicked side of me says that was an unfair swift kick to the tenders.

The sanctified side of me says that was a much needed swift kick to the tenders.

I stopped to let the Holy Spirit examine my heart and my life.

Right then, He  started to work on me.

The more I evaluated, the more I knew she was right on.

Tuesday night I got a message from a friend. She asked a small group of us to pray over her friend who has a rare incurable form of cancer.

The doctors want to examine her just so  they would have research for any future cases.

I considered it an honour to pray for a sister in Christ.

I told the group to give me a day to pray over what to pray about.

The Holy Spirit hits me with 1 Peter 3:8-22 to 1 Peter 4:1-19–The major theme was on how to suffer well.

Next day, I am faced with writing the prayer.  I am tempted to think, “it won’t be a big deal… they are not going to miss my prayers… I can skip it.”

But the Spirit of God quickened me.

Two words: follow up.

I poured my heart into that prayer.  I wanted to lift her up to the only God who knows us, who heals our broken bodies and and the only One who gives us joy and comfort.

In that one moment, I followed up.

Following up is an area at which I suck at.  More to come.

Romans 8:1 Fact: You Cannot Be Condemned

A look and study into Romans 8:1. What is condemnation and whom did Jesus come to condemn and not to condemn.

Romans 8:1 Fact: You Cannot Be Condemned (Notes)

Notes for tonight’s Bible Study. (Handouts to group are on the website.)

Romans 7: I Will Wrestle

We are in the home stretch of wrapping up the six arguments that Paul lays out in defence of a changed heart and mind and life after accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior. (I will do a quick review before heading into Romans 8 next time.) It is here that Paul makes one more (again, not so perfect) analogy to the defeat of sin in your life. Out of these arguments, Paul opens his heart up to the reader and exposes himself that even this great Apostle who probably walked in more power of God than any other human in history (other than Christ himself) struggles with sin. In Paul’s honesty, gives us hope and encouragement that we, too, are not failures just because we are not super-duper Christians on this earth.

Romans 7: I Will Wrestle (Notes)

Notes from lesson.